586 SUBANTAHCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. [PisceS. 



Fam. GALAXIIDAE. 



Galaxias, Cuvier, Regne Anim., ii, 1817, p. 183. 



Galaxias brevipinnis, Giinther 



Galaxias brevipinnis, Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vi, 1866, p. 213. 

 G. grandis, Haast, Trans. N.Z. Inst., v, 1873, p. 278. G. rohinsonii, 

 Clarke, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxi, 1899, p. 89, pi. v. G. hollansi, Hutton, 

 Trans. KZ. Inst., xxxiv, 1902, p. 198. 



In his review of the family, Mr. C. Tate Regan* admits two species as occurring 

 at the Auckland Islands — namely, G. brevipinnis, Giinther, and G. fasciatus, Gray. 



Members of the genus were taken at two places in Carnley Harbour by the 

 expedition. Our Maori crew, at the instance of Dr. Farr, caught a large number 

 at the magnetic station on North Arm, and Professor Benham obtained others near 

 the main camp. In view of the opinion below recorded, I may mention that, though 

 I did not actually discover the haunts of the fishes, I saw them in the positions indi- 

 cated to me. 



All the specimens obtained are referable to G. brevipinnis. They were taken in 

 pools in fresh-water streams quite close to the sea, that at North Arm being but a 

 few feet above high- water mark. The specimen of G. bollansi (which, according to 

 Mr. Regan, is but an example of this species) was taken out of the mouth of a specimen 

 of Merganser australis, at the Auckland Islands. From this circumstance Captain 

 Hutton (" On a Marine Galaxias from the Auckland Islands ")■!■ concluded that the 

 fish was a marine one, and this no doubt largely influenced him in regarding it as 

 distinct. This circumstance induced Dr. G. A. Boulenger to write an article with 

 the following heading : " The explanation of a remarkable case of geographical 

 distribution among fishes. "J He mentions that " most text-books and papers 

 discussing geographical distribution have made much of the range of a genus of 

 small fishes, somewhat resembling trout, the Galaxias, commonly described as true 

 fresh-water forms, which have long been known from the extreme south of South 

 America, New Zealand, Tasmania and Southern Australia." Dr. Boulenger then 

 refers to the representation of the genus {G. zebratus and G. punctifer) in South Africa, 

 and mentions the fact recorded by Clarke in New Zealand and Vallentin in the Falk- 

 land Islands, that G. attenuatus lives in the sea as well as in fresh water, descending 

 periodically to the sea (in New Zealand) for the purpose of spawning. He adds, 

 " In accordance with these marine habits, this species has a much wider range than 

 any of the others, being known from Chili, Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland 

 Islands, New Zealand, Tasmania and Southern Australia." 



The peculiar distribution of Galaxias is frequently advanced as a strong link 

 in the evidence of land connection with the Antarctic Continent, a link, however, 

 somewhat weakened by the discovery that G. attenuatus breeds in the sea ; its cohesion 

 is apparently still further reduced by the record of a second marine species, as before 

 mentioned ; and Dr. Boulenger concludes his article by remarking, " It is hoped 



* Kegan, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1905, ii, p. 363. 



t Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxiv, 1902, p. 198. 



X Boulenger, Nature, Ixvii, 1902, p. 84. 



